End finding nozzle

ABSTRACT

The combination with an end finding nozzle adapted to be supported adjacent the surface of the yarn package on which an end is to be found, spaced parallel lips mounted on the nozzle at the mouth for linear and angular movement relative thereto, and spring members biasing said lips to extend them relative to the mouth of the nozzle.

United States Patent [191 Abbott Feb. 18, 1975 END FINDING NOZZLE Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath 7 l l L. Abb tt lt .l-l. 5] nvemor samue 0 W1 on N Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dike, Bronstem, Roberts, [73] Assignee: Abbott Machine Co., Inc., Wilton, c shm n & Pfund [22] Filed: Jan. 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 430,470 [57] ABSTRACT Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 207,245, Dec, 13, 1971, abandoned.

242/18 R, 18 EW References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DiMauro 242/356 E The combination with an end finding nozzle adapted to be supported adjacent the surface of the yarn package on which an end is to be found, spaced parallel lips mounted on the nozzle at the mouth for linear and angular movement relative thereto, and spring members biasing said lips to extend them relative to the mouth of the nozzle.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB I 8l975 sum aor 4 FIGS Pmmmnamms 3,866,848

SHEET 30F 4 PATENTED 8 i975 3.866 848 SHEU 0F 4 FIG?) END FINDING NOZZLE This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 207,245, filed on Dec. 13, 1971, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In US. Pat. No. 3,168,257, dated Feb. 2, 1965 and pending application Ser. No. 176,132, filed Aug. 30, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,816,743 there are shown end finding nozzles. In the patented structure the nozzle is supported for movement from a retracted position to an operative position for the finding operation, such movement being effected by moving the nozzle into engagement with the surface of the package and then retracting it a predetermined distance. The linkage for effecting such movement is essentially a springcontrolled friction clutch so that when the nozzle is moved into engagement with the surface of the package slippage occurs, the package providing the stop for such movement and retraction takes place with respect to the position at which the nozzle is brought to a stop by engagement with the package. Since the density of packages is different from package to package the setting of the clutch becomes quite critical because if the setting is too high the nozzle will compress the package and withdrawal of the nozzle will be less than the desired amount. If, however, the setting is not high enough the inertia of the nozzle may be so great as to cause slippage in the clutch and the nozzle may fail to reach the surface of the package. The purpose of this invention is to cure the aforesaid difficulties in a nozzle finding apparatus such as shown in the aforesaid patent and, in particular, in its combination with the sensing means for detecting the presence of the found yarn as shown in my pending application.

SUMMARY An end finder comprising a flat, transversely elongate nozzle containing a passage into which the found end of yarn is adapted to be drawn, means supporting the nozzle with the mouth of the passage adjacent the surface of the package on which an end is to be found, and means telescopically engaged with the mouth of the nozzle spring-biased toward the package such as to maintain uniform engagement with the surface of the package in spite of minor variations in distance between the mouth of the nozzle and the surface of the package. The means telescopically engaged with the mouth of the nozzle comprises a sleeve mounted on the nozzle for linear movement in a radial plane with respect to the axis of the package and angular movement about an axis perpendicular thereto. There is means for limiting the extent of telescoping movement and spring means for effecting extension of the sleeve toward said limiting movement. The extension has upper and lower spaced parallel lips along its entire transverse width, the lower lip extending forwardly with respect to the upper lip such as to establish an initial engagement with the surface of the package and to hold the upper lip spaced from the surface by the extent of the extension. The face of the lower lip is rearwardly inclined such as to have substantially line contact with the surface of the package at a level corresponding to the bottom of the entrance between the lips. Alternatively, the extension may comprise separately mounted lips supported at the mouth of the nozzle so that each is spring-biased independently of the other.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a winding machine showing the finding nozzle in its inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, to larger scale, showing part of the linkage for effecting movement of the nozzle into and out of operative position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through the same axis as FIG. 2 but looking from the left to the right in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, to much larger scale, showing the relation of the finding nozzle to the package in its operative position with the nozzle sectioned in part and embodying the improvement of this invention also shown in section;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an alternative structure wherein the upper and lower lips are independently supported; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5), the end finding nozzle 10 comprises a generally triangular, transversely flat structure having at its wider end a transversely extending narrow entrance opening 12 which is substantially as long as the package p on which the yarn is wound and at its narrower end a hollow coupling 14 by means of which it is connected to a bag B for collecting yarn ends. The nozzle 10 is supported for movement toward and from the surface of the package on an underlying mounting plate 16 (FIG. 1) on which it is adjustable angularly to conform to various tapers on the packages of various degrees of completion. The mounting plate is pivoted at 18 to the upper end of a lever 20, the lower end of which is provided with three arms 22, 24 and 26. The lever 20 is pivoted at 28 (FIG. 2) so that the pivot point 18 is movable arcuately about the pivot 28. The arm 24 of the lever has pivoted thereto at 30 one end of a lever 32 carrying near its middle a cam roll 34 engaged within a cam groove 36. The other end of the lever 32 is connected by a link 38 to a pivot point 40 on an extension 42 which is rigid with the mounting plate 16 to the nozzle.

The lever 20 is provided with a hub 44 (FIGS. 2 and 3) carrying integrally therewith a disc 46 adapted to be driven frictionally by a friction driving disc 48 having an operating arm 50. Adjustment of the friction is effected by a spring 49 and nut 51. A lever 52 is pivoted at 54 to the operating arm 50 and is urged by a spring 53 in a clockwise direction so that its left end abuts a stop pin 56 on the arm 50. To move the nozzle to end finding position the right end of the lever 52 is raised by a lifter rod 58 (FIG. 1) which is operated by a cam 60 on a horizontal cam shaft 62. The driving connection for the nozzle 10, however, will yield when the nozzle meets the package because the friction drive to the disc 46 can slip thus the nozzle will stop at the surface of the package regardless of the size of the package. The stroke of the cam 60 is made sufficient so that even with the longest travel of the nozzle to meet the smallest package there I would be some remaining stroke of the cam in the direction to continue raising the lifter rod 58.

It is desirable that the nozzle should not press hard against the surface of the package during the end finding rotation of the package but on the contrary should be moved back a little so that its open entrance end is slightly spaced from the surface of the rotating package. Accordingly, a rod 64 is pivotally attached at one end to the lever 52 at 66 and has at its other end a collar 68. Near the end of the upward movement of the lifter rod 58 the collar 68 strikes a fixed part of the frame causing the rod 64 to detain the lever 52 at the point 66. With the lever 52 detained at 66 further rise of the lifter rod 58 rotates the lever 52 in a counterclockwise direction causing the pivot point 54 to be depressed and accordingly rotate the friction disc operating lever 50 a little in the clockwise direction and so rotating the nozzle away from the surface of the package. The aforesaid structure is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,168,257 for which reference may be had to a more detailed description if found necessary.

In the aforesaid patented machine at the finding position ofthe nozzle a blast of high pressure air is admitted to produce a subatmospheric pressure at the entrance opening of the nozzle to draw a found end thereinto and in order to minimize the length of the finding operation so that as quickly as the end is found it is detected and the winding operation resumed, sensing means was provided in combination with the aforesaid nozzle as described and claimed in pending application Ser. No. 176,132, filed Aug. 30, 1971.

The aforesaid sensing means as shown herein in FIG. 4 comprises a light sensitive cell c and lamp 1 arranged in alignment with openings in the nozzle so that the presence of a yarn within the passage will intercept the light beam and through suitable electrical connections, as described in said application, effect retraction of the nozzle and resumption of the winding operation.

As disclosed in the aforesaid application the mouth of the nozzle is spaced from the surface of the passage and a baffer is employed which is oscillated with respect to the surface of the package to assist in freeing the yarn end from the surface so that it will be taken into the passage by the suction established therein. The spacing of the entrance to the nozzle from the surface of the package is quite critical and it is difficult with the aforesaid arrangement for moving the nozzle into operative position according to the patented structure to obtain the same spacing from package to package because of the varying densities in packages. Thus while the aforesaid linkage could be adjusted to repeatedly provide the same spacing for all packages if all of the packages were of the same density, if a package of lesser density is being processed the nozzle may actually depress the surface of the package and so when retracted the spacing will be less than desired for optimum finding. If the friction clutch is set lower so as not to cause depression of the package the inertia of the nozzle to movement may be so great as to cause slippage with the end result that the nozzle may not reach the package.

The improvement herein illustrated is designed to overcome the disadvantages referred to and comprises, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, mounting an extension 100 on the nozzle between it and the surface of the package so that it is yieldably biased in a direction such as to be held engaged with the surface of the package throughout the finding operation. The extension 100 comprises an elongate rectangular sleeve telescopically mounted on the end of the nozzle comprising spaced parallel upper and lower plates 102 and 104 joined at their opposite ends by end members 106 106 of U-shaped cross-section fastened to the ends by means of screw bolts 108. The plates 102 and 104 contain substantially midway between their opposite ends elongate slots 110 110 through which extend pins 112 112 set into the upper and lower walls of the nozzle. The slots and pins limit the telescoping movement of the extension relative to the end of the nozzle in a plane parallel to the nozzle and permit angular movement about an axis pcrpendicular thereto. The extension is biased to extend it toward the limit of its permitted movement by springs 114 114 mounted on pins 116116 secured to the plates 102 and 104, the springs having arms 1 18 and constrained between pins 122 fixed to the plates and the pins 112 fixed to the nozzle.

The extension comprising the sleeve is slidable linearly on the nozzle in the plane the nozzle makes with the package, here shown as a plane passing through the axis of the package and is movable angularly about axes perpendicular thereto so that the forward end of the sleeve is free to come and go with respect to the surface and is also free to accommodate itself to the slope of the surface to compensate for irregularities in the surface or variations in positions of the package caused by imperfect or worn bearings and/or cones.

In accordance with the invention the sleeve is yieldably held against the surface of the package during the finding operation and for optimum finding the sleeve has at its forward side longitudinally extending upper and lower lips 124 and 126 having spaced parallel confronting surfaces 128 and 130 which define a passage situated at substantially the same level as the passage within the nozzle. The face 132 of the upper lip is perpendicular to the plate 102 and the face 134 of the lower lip extends forwardly of the face 132 and inclines downwardly and rearwardly so that it has a leading edge 136 which establishes an initial contact with the surface of the package and by such contact holds the face 132 of the upper lip at a predetermined distance from the surface of the package. As thus constructed, the leading edge 136 of the lower lip restricts the passage of air between it and the surface of the passage and produces an increase in velocity of the flow of air between the surface of the package and the upper lip in a direction downwardly with respect to the upwardly moving surface of the package and so in a direction which assists in detaching the end from the surface and carrying it into the opening between the lips. This arrangement removes the necessity for making the extension longer than the width of the passage in order to produce the necessary suction across the entire length of the package which naturally is always higher at the center and/or increasing the vacuum to such an extent that it becomes prohibitively expensive. In fact, as thus constructed, the suction required for this apparatus may be substantially lowered from that previously employed. The distance between the face of the upper lip and the surface of the package can be maintained at approximately l/64 of an inch without variations and since the sleeve is perfectly free to move both linearly and rotationally and the spring means for effecting its extension need not be stiff for the purpose of holding it extended beyond the end of the nozzle it follows the surface of the package closely without disturbing the surface.

It has been found that a movement of approximately of an inch is quite satisfactory. According to the invention the nozzle is moved up to the package in the same way as disclosed in the aforesaid patent by means of the friction clutch as far as it will go into engagement with the surface of the package and then retracted about /a of an inch so that the extension bears against the surface and is free to move in either direction. In this position the spring will hold the extension lightly and uniformly engaged with the package and since it is relatively small and is comprised of a light-weight material it will yield to variations in taper and diameter of the package and to bearing slop without disturbing the surface.

An alternative construction of the extension is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein the plates 102 and 104 are not connected at their ends and are independently spring-biased into engagement with the surface of the package. When so constructed the opposite ends of the plates are provided with slots l02a102a and pins 10211-102 to guide the plates. Thus the spacing and pressure of the lips at the upper and lower edges may be individually adjusted by making the slots 110 of different length and by employing spring 114 of different resistance. So little air enters to the ends of the nozzle that it is possible to use the related structure without providing end members at opposite ends of the plates. As thus constructed somewhat more precise adjustment is possible; for example, it is possible to bring both the top and bottom lips into engagement with the surface of the package in spite of the difference in radius of large and small packages.

it should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. End finding apparatus for finding an end of yarn on a package of yarn and withdrawing it therefrom,

said apparatus comprising means for supporting a package of yarn for rotation about a predetermined axis, means supporting an end finding nozzle adjacent the package at a predetermined fixed distance from the surface of the package for directing a flow of air across the surface of the package to carry an end of yarn into the nozzle, said nozzle having a narrow elongate mouth confronting and extending along the surface of the package substantially parallel to the axis of rotation thereof, a pair of lip plates each comprising a single elongate rigid flat plate having a uniformly straight leading edge, said lip plates being mounted on the roof and bottom of the mouth for movement with the nozzle toward and from the package, pins fixed to the roof and bottom of the mouth with their axes perpendicular to the said lip plates on which the lip plates are pivotally mounted, said lip plates containing slots disposed at right angles to their leading edges in which the pins are received such that the lip plates are capable of moving angularly about the axes of the pins and linearly at right angles to the leading edges and springs mounted on the pins yieldingly urgi'ngthe lip plates to distended positions with respect to the mouth such that when the mouth is moved up to said predetermined position adjacent the package for a finding operation the lip plates are yieldingly held engaged with the surface of the package and wherein at said position the lip plates are freely pivotal about the axes of said pins.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lower lip plate extends forwardly of the upper lip plate and has a downwardly and rearwardly inclined leading edge. 

1. End finding apparatus for finding an end of yarn on a package of yarn and withdrawing it therefrom, said apparatus comprising means for supporting a package of yarn for rotation about a predetermined axis, means supporting an end finding nozzle adjacent the package at a predetermined fixed distance from the surface of the package for directing a flow of air across the surface of the package to carry an end of yarn into the nozzle, said nozzle having a narrow elongate mouth confronting and extending along the surface of the package substantially parallel to the axis of rotation thereof, a pair of lip plates each comprising a single elongate rigid flat plate having a uniformly straight leading edge, said lip plates being mounted on the roof and bottom of the mouth for movement with the nozzle toward and from the package, pins fixed to the roof and bottom of the mouth with their axes perpendicular to the said lip plates on which the lip plates are pivotally mounted, said lip plates containing slots disposed at right angles to their leading edges in which the pins are received such that the lip plates are capable of moving angularly about the axes of the pins and linearly at right angles to the leading edges and springs mounted on the pins yieldingly urging the lip plates to distended positions with respect to the mouth such that when the mouth is moved up to said predetermined position adjacent the package for a finding operation the lip plates are yieldingly held engaged with the surface of the package and wherein at said position the lip plates are freely pivotal about the axes of said pins.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lower lip plate extends forwardly of the upper lip plate and has a downwardly and rearwardly inclined leading edge. 